Health leaders recommend pneumonia vaccines

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Health departments in the area will start giving H1N1 shots for the first time Wednesday morning but health officials are also pushing pneumonia shots.

The vaccine can help at-risk people avoid secondary infections. High risk groups include those with diabetes and congestive heart failure.

Pneumonia can also be a complication of swine flu. Health leaders say pneumonia is preventable but few people take advantage of the vaccine.

"Certainly with H1N1 this year, many of the hospitalizations have been related to pneumonia so with that in mind it's important to remind people that we do have the pneumonia vaccine available," said Southwest District Deputy Health Director Brenda Greene.

The pneumonia vaccine is especially recommended for people 65 and older. You can get it at the same time as flu or H1N1 vaccines.